Adrian Collins's Blog, page 75

An Interview with Jacqueline Carey

Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Dart can only be described as a cult classic of dark fantasy, and its foundational influences are still visible in today’s romantasy trend. Centred around a courtesan in a Renaissance-inspired world, these are sex-positive, queernorm and pro-choice. In 2023, it feels only right that the original trilogy received a facelift and renewed attention, twenty years on. And we got treated to a whole new Kushiel novel – Cassiel’s Servant. The books are a firm favourite in the GdM team, and it was an absolute pleasure to catch up with Jaqueline Carey on how she feels about her books two decades later and her experience returning to Terre d’Ange.

[GdM] Could you introduce Cassiel’s Servant – and the world of Terre d’Ange – for our readers who may be new to your work?

[JC] It’s an epic fantasy set in an alternate version of medieval France. Our hero Joscelin is the middle son of an old noble family, pledged from birth to become a warrior-priest sworn to the austere–and chaste–Cassiline Brotherhood. He’s assigned to guard an infamous courtesan… who promptly stumbles across a vast plot to betray their entire realm.

[GdM] What inspired you to return to the original story a good two decades later?

[JC] Actually, it was a poem I was commissioned to write for a non-profit organization as part of a fundraiser. After polling readers, I wrote a sonnet from Joscelin to Phèdre. It was the first time I’d put myself squarely in his head and given a voice to his unspoken thoughts. My Muse woke up and said, “I want to tell his side of the story.”

[GdM] Given that Cassiel’s Servant is Joscelin’s version of the events of Kushiel’s Dart, what were some challenges writing from a very different perspective?

[JC] Enough time had passed that I didn’t experience the sort of whiplash I felt going from Phèdre’s to Imriel’s perspective when I wrote his trilogy. One of the biggest challenges was determining what elements to keep and what to axe. We played a game in my house called Does Joscelin Give a Damn? For example: Couture? No! There go yards and yards of ornate brocades and shimmering silk. Political intrigue? No, that’s a bit vulgar. Well, he’s in for a few surprises.

Beyond that, conveying the genuine transcendence that Joscelin finds in serving Cassiel was my number one challenge. There’s a sense of the numinous I try to evoke in these books and his story was no exception.

[GdM] How do you feel about the original trilogy after all this time? Are there things you would change now, things that you feel haven’t quite aged well?

[JC] In recent years, many readers have inquired about the lack of transgender and nonbinary representation in Terre d’Ange. I can only answer honestly—these issues simply were not on my radar 20+ years ago. In a setting intended to embrace all forms of love, that absence is glaring. I wrote a whole blog post (https://www.jacquelinecarey.com/summer-2023/) on how I would address this if I had ground zero do-over. And while I was at it, I’d increase the diversity in the population of Terre d’Ange by giving Blessed Elua an entourage of followers accrued during their time wandering the earth.

[GdM] One of my favourite aspects of Terre d’Ange is how it is essentially a queer-norm world. How was your experience of publishing a story like that in the early 2000s compared to now?

[JC] Weird, in that our culture is far more polarized. No one’s ever known quite what to make of the Kushiel’s Legacy series, in some ways I feel as though its effect was felt more in the long-term ripples than the initial splash. Now I’m not breaking new ground and there’s far more queer normative fantasy out there… but at the same time, I’ve never been more worried that a bookstore or library might be protested or worse for carrying my books.

Not to get all… well, grimdark, but 2022 was the year I began scanning the rooftops at public gatherings.

[GdM] You’ve returned to the rich world of the books many times, writing stories set in different corners of the known world, but all interconnected. Are there any parts as-yet unexplored that you’d like to dive deeper into?

[JC] There aren’t necessarily any geographical parts, but I’ve been tempted with thoughts of another, longer time jump. Terre d’Ange in the Belle Epoque would be fun! That’s the kind of passing fancy I often have in places like museums, and it tends to fade over time.

[GdM] Phèdre is such a wonderful, complex character. Did you have any real-world inspiration for her? Do you have a dream-casting for her and Joscelin if the books were ever adapted?

[JC] I have no idea where Phèdre came from, but her nature was what it was from the first spark of inspiration. I’m actually terrible at playing the dream-casting game because I’d just want wildly talented unknowns in the lead roles. It’s true, and it keeps me from having to renew my choices every time actors age out of plausibility for their imaginary roles.

[GdM] Like many readers, I imagine, I developed a crush on the brilliant and devious Melisande Sharizai the first time I read the books. I have rarely read such a well-crafted female villain. How was she born and how did she change throughout the writing process?

[JC] Essentially, I wanted to create a villainess who was beautiful, compelling and seductive, and gradually reveal her to be utterly terrifying by virtue of sheer intellect and a lack of moral compass. Melisande understands exactly what she’s doing, as well as the fact that it took a god’s chosen to thwart her. The only thing that changed her was the fact that Imriel paid the price for her sins.

[GdM] Do you have any particular darlings in the world that may have flown under the radar?

[JC] Banewreaker and Godslayer are epic fantasy reimagined as epic tragedy from the POV of the losing side. Awesome dragons, and almost everyone dies. It’s spectacular, totally a victim of the Kushiel series’ success. Also Miranda and Caliban, a retelling Shakespeare’s The Tempest. It’s s heartbreaking overlooked gem.

[GdM] Along with this new book, Tor are republishing the original trilogy with updated covers and formats. Did you get much say in those, and are there any content changes to look out for?

[JC] No and no.

[GdM] I am a huge fan of the Santa Olivia series, is there going to be a third book?

[JC] Thank you! I love those, too. But no, Saints Astray was already a bonus book.

[GdM] What books or other media have filled your creative well recently?

[JC] Along with odd bits of random research, I read a good amount to prepare for the Cassiel’s Servant tour and conversation partners along the way—I had a lot of fun with authors like Victoria Aveyard and Brent Weeks, very much enjoyed Shelley Parker-Chan’s debut novel She Who Became the Sun.

My current nominee for best creative content would be the streaming series Reservation Dogs on Hulu. It’s just so, so good—it’s funny, wise, irreverent.

[GdM] What are you working on right now?

[JC] Right now, I’m at a creative crossroads. Paths toward two vastly different literary undertakings lie before me. I have yet to choose one, but the time is coming.

Read Cassiel’s Servant by Jacqueline Carey

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REVIEW: Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson

I continue my reread of Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen with Memories of Ice. During my first run-through of the series, I counted this novel as being one of my 3 favourites and I am glad that my enjoyment did not diminish on the reread. In fact, my reading experience was heightened because of the fact I have become more proficient in understanding this deep and complicated fantasy world. Memories of Ice is close to a 10/10 reading experience, however, that is not to say that every aspect of the book gelled perfectly with me.

The events of Memories of Ice run concurrently with those that readers witnessed in Deadhouse Gates. Here we are following the Malazan Empire outlaws Whiskeyjack and Onearm’s army, as they are looking to ally with former adversaries such as Annomander Rake, his Tiste Andii and the warlord Caladan Brood. This potential alliance has a common purpose, to investigate the new threat that has presented itself in the form of the Pannion Seer. This prophet has an extremely sizeable force that comprises religious zealots, cannibals, mages, supernatural beings, and the Women of the Dead Seed. The seer’s empire is enveloping the surrounding nations and, to coincide, the warrens are becoming poisoned and deadly to those that would normally access their magics. The gods and ascendants are as imposing, powerful, and important as they were in the series’ previous entries yet there is an alien entity that seeks prominence, is unforgiving, and may be aligning with or supporting the Pannion Seer’s ambitions.

“Kallor shrugged. ‘[…] I have walked this land when the T’lan Imass were but children. I have commanded armies a hundred thousand strong. I have spread the fire of my wrath across entire continents, and sat alone upon tall thrones. Do you grasp the meaning of this?’

‘Yes,’ [said Caladan Brood.] ‘You never learn.”

The dramatis personae contains around 150 characters and it was strangely comforting to rejoin some of my favourite players from Gardens of the Moon. Most notably, the Bridgeburners, such as Captain Paran and Quick Ben, and the Knight of Darkness, Anomander Rake. Paran, again, finds himself wrapped up in happenings that should be overwhelming yet his uncompromising nature and actions rightly lead to him gaining the respect of others; often formidable peers. Quick Ben showcases more magical prowess, and the intrigue around who he is and how he possesses such powers is always fascinating. Finally, Anomander Rake just oozes scene-stealing coolness, which Erikson uses to full effect during the infrequent moments when he frequents the pages. There are some fine new additions too, including Gruntle, Stonny, and Itkovian. Furthermore, Silverfox’s amalgamation of souls creates some excellent drama and causes divides amongst the alliance, and this novel is the first time, in the main series, that Erikson introduces the nightmarish yet often darkly humorous necromancers, Bauchelian and Korbal Broach.

Memories of Ice works in fine fashion as a standalone structured narrative. It includes so many excellent moments, gripping sieges, peculiar yet awesome fellowships and groups travelling with often unsynced motives in mind, romances and bromances, age-old rivalries and bitterness, and, not forgetting, dinosaurs that have swords for arms! Another neat addition that Erikson delivers is moments when the characters here are informed of, or do something that impacts the events as they are unfolding in Deadhouse Gates.

Incorporating all of these elements, Memories of Ice is beautifully written and was the moment when Erikson cemented his position as a master weaver of tales that pluck the heartstrings. Everything was more purposeful and precise in this entry, however, that is not to deny the power of some phenomenal scenes that he has presented prior. A minor criticism that I do have is that the dream sequences seemed laborious. The payoff was well worked regarding what it could equate to in future entries yet it felt hard-earned when we finally got there. This small misstep aside, Memories of Ice is one of my top ten fantasy novels of all time. It is fantastic.

Read Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson

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REVIEW: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is the only expansion that CD Projejkt Red is producing for the controversial but well-loved Cyberpunk 2077. Many fans were hoping it would be akin to The Witcher 3′s Blood and Wine with the size of a whole new game added. Others believed it would be closer to Heart of Stone, which was a single campaign that was entertaining but not exactly groundbreaking. The truth is that Phantom Liberty is somewhere in the middle and an excellent addition to the game but also something that doesn’t feel like so much an entirely new game but filling out some of the failures of the base game.

The plot is the President of the New United States (NUSA), Rosalind Myers (Kay Bess), has been hacked out of the sky and forced into the Combat Zone of Pacifica. A Combat Zone is a territory where there are no police, and the criminals directly rule. Called “Dogtown”, this new area of the map fills in a very empty region of Night City with new quests, buildings, NPCs, and activities to broaden the enjoyment factor of the game. It mostly succeeds and combined with Update 2.0, is now an almost entirely different feeling game.

The main questline is an excellent one with strong character-driven storytelling supplemented by the characters of Songbird (Minji Chang), Solomon Reed (Idris Elba), and President Myers. All three of them join the ranks of Johnny Silverhand, Panam, and Judy for characters that are incredibly memorable with their acting doing the heavy lifting to get us to care for them during the story. The story would not work if you didn’t come to like and sympathize with all three before being forced to make some troubling choices. The Cinematic Trailer for Phantom Liberty depicts Songbird burning Reed as a spy and sets the stage to know someone is betraying someone else when you see all of these individuals “allied.”

The villain of the game, Kurt Hansen, isn’t really much to write home about. A local petty warlord, he is the ruler of Dogtown and has a private army under his command, but this doesn’t really add much to the story. He’s a bad guy, he’s got trained soldiers, and you must carve or shoot your way through them until you face him down. His one-dimensionality doesn’t particularly hurt the story, though, because he’s a well-executed example of the character type. You understand why he’s top dog in Dogtown (no pun intended) due to his speeches on the sound system that promise security for Eddies. Even so, I feel they could have done more with him.

The main quest and side content equal about thirty hours’ worth of content or not quite long enough. Frankly, I feel like the inclusion of Phantom Liberty lengthens the “main quest” of Cyberpunk 2077 to about where it should have been originally if you consider it the “Militech” story arc. Even so, it does have a very different feel from the other storylines because V is no longer working as a street merc but as a government agent for the merged FBI/CIA equivalent. It even has an extended homage to Casino Royale.

Interestingly, Johnny Silverhand (Keanu Reeves) has as large a role in this DLC as Idris Elba and it expands on the character a great deal. Arguably, it does a much better job of making you sympathize with his anarchist philosophy than the main game where he seemed like a poseur. Phantom Liberty explores Johnny’s past as a veteran of Militech’s foreign wars and how it left him suffering PTSD as well as surrounded by dead friends while being told it was all for a greater good. I know many people in RL who came out every bit as cynical as Johnny following their service and he works very well as a contrast to Solomon Reed who needs to believe it’s all worth it somehow.

The storytelling for the Side Gigs is also a lot deeper as well with most of them being for Mr. Hands, who only had a single Pacifica Gig in the main game but gets an entire questline now. The game also relates a lot more to your in-game activities so that if you’ve completed certain quests, you’ll get different ways of resolving them. For example, I could use River’s help to steal some generators to replace a private’s stolen ones or I could get Panam’s help to smuggle the guy out of Dogtown with his girlfriend.

There’s also some “radiant quests” that pop up in the game as well with the option of stealing cars for El Capitain as well as raiding supply drops for the Barghests. These are the kind of quests you have in Grand Theft Auto and The Division but add a lot of fun. Certainly, stealing cars and being chased by enemies makes it so the addition of vehicular combat rules in Update 2.0 isn’t completely worthwhile. There’s also the addition of the “Relic” perk tree that gives you a large number of new cybernetic abilities.

Fans of big epic set pieces will enjoy the game because a lot of attention went into making action scenes that are far and removed from most of the game. V will have to do a lot of first person scaling of Dogtown’s many towers and buildings. There are also some fantastic boss fights like V battling against a spider tank straight out of Ghost in the Shell. I felt very satisfied being able to finally use my V’s weapons and cyberware to their full extent.

Perhaps the biggest change to the game is that it adds an entirely new ending to the game. For many people, this ending will be unsatisfactory compared to the other endings. It is not a, “V lives happily ever after and you should always choose this over the other ones.” However, it is bittersweet and will offer an alternative to the darker endings that I think will be satisfying for fans dissatisfied with the others. Certainly, it’s worth experiencing and happier than “The Devil” ending that was so infamous.

In conclusion, I think this is an incredibly strong addition to Cyberpunk 2077. It’s a good thing that Update 2.0 exists as a lot of the story would not be nearly so enjoyable without the level scaling, new perks, and vehicle updates. The storytelling, characterization, and acting are extremely well done. Dogtown is a place that I think probably should have existed in the main game but the polish that went into its release here is very good.

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REVIEW: The Shadow Gate by L.L. MacRae

The Shadow Gate is Book Two in the Dragon Spirits series by L.L. MacRae, following up on her excellent first volume, The Iron Crown, which was a finalist in Mark Lawrence’s 7th Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO7).

Grimdark fans will find much to love in The Shadow Gate, which takes the series in a decidedly darker direction. L.L. MacRae also presents an intriguing treatment of gray morality across several of her characters, including the lead protagonist, Fenn, an amnesiac who is trying to recover his lost memories and locate his family, if he still has one. Fenn learns that he is touched by an ancient evil known as the Myr, and he might be playing an unwitting role in their return to the Realm of Tassar. MacRae adeptly builds layers of complexity in Fenn’s character, who is both a sympathetic and potentially dangerous lead.

The Myr themselves are a shadowy threat, haunting the land with death and destruction. L.L. MacRae’s descriptions of the Myr are shrouded in mystery and lore, reminding me of Patrick Rothfuss’s approach to the Chandrian in the Kingkiller Chronicle. Fortunately, the Myr get significantly more page time in The Shadow Gate than the Chandrian have seen thus far in the Kingkiller Chronicle.

L.L. MacRae maintains a fast, even pace throughout The Shadow Gate. She also ups the ante on action, starting from the opening scene which depicts the terrible aftermath of a Myrish attack at Foxmouth, highlighting the death and ruin brought by this otherworldly evil.

The Shadow Gate switches perspectives among several vividly drawn point-of-view characters. Beyond Fenn, my favorite characters from The Iron Crown are back: the hotheaded Calidra and her partner, the loving and supportive Jisyel, whose relationship was a highlight of the first book. Also returning are Torsten, the grand inquisitor who is another masterclass in gray morality; Apollo, a former thief looking to build a better life; Selys, a priestess with competing loyalties; and Varlot, a former soldier trying to escape his violent past.

MacRae’s worldbuilding is phenomenal across both The Iron Crown and The Shadow Gate. This series is manna from heaven for dragon fans. The Shadow Gate features nine dragon spirits, powerful supernatural beings who appear in specific geographical areas such as forests or lakes and are dedicated to protecting their natural realms. The dragon spirits’ powers are channeled through the humans to whom they are bonded. The greatest of the dragon spirits is Toriaken, the enormous spirit of iron, who is bonded with Queen Surayo of the Iron Crown.

The Shadow Gate also brings back L.L. MacRae’s hyperintelligent griffins, who are large enough to carry several people on their backs during flight. Fans of Thiago Abdalla’s griffin-drenched Ashes of Avarin series will also love MacRae’s work.

Overall, The Shadow Gate is a spectacular tour de force in dark epic fantasy. The Dragon Spirits trilogy will conclude with Book Three of the series, The Broken Sword.

5/5

Read The Shadow Gate by L.L. MacRae

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REVIEW: Saw X

Saw X is the tenth instalment in this popular franchise. It fits (somewhat inelegantly) between Saw (2004) and Saw II (2005). They make some effort to make it feel like the mid-2000s (flip phones!), but I can’t say I was particularly persuaded. It features the return of John Kramer / Jigsaw, played by Tobin Bell, who features heavily in the first two sequels and whose shadow looms over the whole franchise. Saw X eases into the violence, outside of a particularly nasty scene early on, but once things kick into gear it gets vicious. Fans of the franchise should be pleased with how Saw X plays out.

My favourite moments in the franchise are those featuring John Kramer, whether he’s inviting someone to play a game, justifying his philosophy, or revealing a twist, and Saw X gives us this in spades. An older Tobin Bell does a great job reprising his role. As an aside, they did such a good job making it look like he was in death’s door in earlier instalments (like Saw III) that his aging isn’t too jarring. Saw X has some of the franchise’s more entertaining victims. I’m hesitant to talk too much about what goes on, as the twists and turns are half the fun; however, I will say that Synnøve Macody Lund brings an energy that I really enjoyed.

Now, for what people want, the traps. I’m sure many people were as intrigued (and disturbed) as I was when they saw the poster for Saw X. I am pleased to report that the traps are suitably visceral and bloody, oh so bloody. There were a couple that had me fidgeting in my seat. The gore is top notch; I would say this is one of the bloodiest of outings for Mr Kramer.

The Saw franchise has had a particular style since it burst onto the scene with the first movie. It used a specific colour palette, there were ‘interesting’ editing choices, and a penchant for zooming on plot relevant items as well as flashback montages of relevant plot points. Suffice to say, I was not a big fan of any of it. I’m pleased to report that Saw X takes a modern approach to their implementation. It still looks, feels and sounds like a Saw movie, but it suits my sensibilities. Hopefully it suits yours as well.

Saw X is worth seeing in a cinema. You will be rewarded with a generous serve of graphic violence, a wonderfully familiar score and, if you’re lucky, a loud and engaged crowd. My screening had laughs, gasps and even cheers. I had a great time despite only being a modest Saw fan.

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REVIEW: Cyberpunk 2077 Three Years Later

Cyberpunk 2077 has been a rocky-rocky road since its release in December 2020. While it’s not exactly been three years, as of September 21st, 2023, it has recently received its largest update yet with the release of its DLC expansion, Phantom Liberty, coming in just a week afterward. I’ll be doing a separate review for Phantom Liberty but it’s important to talk about the changes for the 2.0 update that changes the entire way the game is played.

The game released in an incredibly broken state with far less than what was implied or promised by the initial advertising. The police system was incredibly underwhelming, there was no vehicular combat, no dynamic chase scenes, and the crowd AI was extremely silly with the cars as well as populace of Night City being dumb as bricks. This is in addition to all of the bugs and glitches that rivaled Bethesda’s Skyrim at launch.

Over the past three years, CDPR has done a decent job of doing an immense number of fixes to the game that moved it from a broken buggy mess to something distinctly playable. Indeed, it was something I recommended at the start purely on the basis of its story and visuals. Plus, the fact I was a die-hard cyberpunk fanboy who was already familiar with Mike Pondsmith’s tabletop RPG setting. Still, the game steadily improved and it became increasingly clear that it should have never been released on last generation consoles when the true experience was meant for the Playstation 5 and Xbox X or S.

The 2.0 update is a wholesale remaking of the game in many respects with something for everyone who has already left the game behind. The changes range from the huge to the small and I think it’s wortwhile for people who enjoyed their first time around to return for a second (or third) run. After having played through the game for a day, I’m comfortable sharing my opinions of what is better as well as worse.

The Good

* Crafting is no longer tied to Technical: Crafting was originally tied to the Technical skill. Now, everyone can craft anything they want if they have the components as well as blueprints. This means a lot for those who were previously stuck doing crafting builds to get the best equipment. There’s also a lot less requirements for components due to the changes to armor.

* Clothes are no longer armor: One of the more immersion breaking elements of the game was wearing a construction hat, biker shorts, a leather jacket, and dress shirt to get the maximum amount of damage resistance possible. This is hardy unique to Cyberpunk 2077 and was alleviated with the transmog system that allowed you to make your character look like anything but still was an annoyance. The new system removes all armor benefits of clothing and now the only damage resistance is from cybernetic enhancements.

* The Perk System is completely overhauled: All of the characters’ perks are refunded at the start of the update and now are part of an entirely new skill tree. The abilities are lot more dynamic than before with things like air dash, hacking vehicles, and adrenaline rushes as well as cyberpsychosis berserk mode. A lot of these abilities are familiar from other games but that’s hardly a bad thing. Perks can also be refunded at will and shifted around to experiment with multiple builds.

* Cybernetics are greatly expanded: The number of cybernetics you can outfit your V with signficantly upgraded. You can also enhance your cybernetics to higher tiers. Notably, V is limited to being able to use cybernetics to the limit of their Body score but the Edgerunner perk let’s you exceed it at the cost of brief cyberpsychosis.

* Improved AI: The various criminals and opponents in Night City are no longer nearly as stupid as they used to be. This, again, helps with the challenge and makes encounters things that players are going to want to take slowly.

* The Night City Police are now terrifying: One of the biggest complaints of the game is the fact the Night City police appeared out of nowhere and attacked then gave up if you moved out of a tiny area. For those used to Grand Theft Auto’s intense police combat, this is a massive improvement. We also get Max-Tac at last, guys who can tear through the strongest of V’s and are bosses in mook’s clothing.

* Netrunning has been nerfed: As a legendary Netrunner, my V basically was a psychic wizard who wandered through Night City causing gangs to instantly fall over without ever finding me. Now, it’s much-much harder and easier for enemies to detect you. You can’t use Breach Protocols on enemies anymore either.

* Vehicular combat and car chases: Perhaps one of the biggest changes is that you can now engage in vehicle combat with things like car chases, shooting out tires, and shooting at each other. It’s something that was strongly needed in the game and makes the massive number of vehicles actually useful now.

* You can now change your V’s appearance: This is something that should have been included at the start of the game as cyberpunk is so focused on transhumanism.

The Neutral

* NPCs now scale to Level: This is going to be a controversial change but it’s more true to the tabletop game. This dramatically increases the difficulty of the game but not in a way that’s bad. You’ll never be lacking for challenges when dealing with the many Assaults and Crimes in Progress across the map.

* All Ripperdocs now have all cybernetics: This is one I’m iffy on because I love having to visit all of the Ripperdocs in Night City to do bargain hunting. It immerses you in the setting to know that cybernetics vary between sources. However, there’s the benefit that there’s no downside to beating Fingers within an inch of his life now.

* Changes to the Cell Phone and Journal: Some minor tweeks have been made to make the journal and cell phone less cluttered. I wasn’t of the mind the previous journal was bad but the ability to be able to turn off

* New Radio Stations: There’s three new radio stations and I just don’t really feel like they made much of an improvement with the soundtrack. Basically, I really wish there was more variety in the music of Night City as there’s a lot of punk and techno but very little pop or rock-rock. So, it’s a matter of taste. Still, one of the station is purely original music by Cyberpunk 2077 fans, so there’s that. Also, Idris Elba is DJing one.

The Bad

* Vendors no longer having crafting components: The game’s longevity has been expanded by the fact that you can only get crafting components by disassembling weapons among other equipment. I really wish I’d bought a bunch of components before the updates.

* NPCs no longer drop clothing: Okay, maybe it was just me but I totally believe when my V killed someone he’d look at them and go, “Nice pants.” Then loot them. Now our V canonically is no longer the kind of crazy murder hobo with a wardrobe of the dead.

* Bugs: The amount of bugs introduced by the changes are small but still noticeable. When I was talking to Vic, I couldn’t exit out a conversation. There were also other small glitches like voices dropping during “I Fought the Law” except for my V. I have hopes these will be corrected in the future, though.

Conclusion

I’m really impressed with what they’ve managed to achieve with this revision to the game and I believe it is finally living up to its full potential. The improvements to the police and enemy AI are enough to justify its existence. I also think the choice to change the clothing so its not an essential part of the loot cycle is a good one. There’s overall a lot less loot and less focus on picking up everything in sight. I think the game is just a lot more FUN to play. It was great because of its storytelling and design before but now it’s just better in every possible way. Those who like coasting through the game, though, will find it a lot tougher. It’s also a shame that this update is something that last generation console users will never get to experience.

Personally, I think now’s the best time to pick up the game if you have a current generation console or computer capable of running it. The new game is better in virtually every possible way. I also think it’s probably best to start over your playthrough rather than continue from a previous save as you’ll get to experience everything from a fresh perspective.

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REVIEW: The Words of Kings and Prophets by Shauna Lawless.

Irish author Shauna Lawless returns to her Gael Song series with The Words of Kings and Prophets. This fantasy novel from Ad Astra, the Science Fiction and Fantasy imprint of Head of Zeus, is the perfect blend of magic, mythology, and history. The first novel in the series, The Children of Gods and Fighting Men, was one of my favourite releases of 2022, and I have been looking forward to the release of The Words of Kings and Prophets for months. I had sky-high expectations, and Lawless did not disappoint. The Words of Kings and Prophets is a triumph. The narrative continues almost immediately from The Children of Gods and Fighting Men, so this is an essential read before you begin. However, Lawless provides a character list giving all the different allegiances and family connections and a pronunciation guide for names.

In The Words of Kings and Prophets, Lawless returns to Ireland at the turn of the 11th century, and the same two main characters of the first novel. Gormflaith, a Fomorian who wields fire magic, is now the unhappy wife of King Brian Boru, and Fódla, a magically disguised Descendant of the Tuatha Dé Danann with the power to heal who is attempting to keep her nephew safe in the mortal world. The Fomorians and the Descendants are sworn enemies, with the last two Fomorians (Gormflaith and her brother Máelmórda) hiding their magic and scheming to avenge their kin and destroy the Descendants. Both Gormflaith and Fódla live in Killaloe at the start of The Words of Kings and Prophets, so there is an underlying tension from the novel’s beginning – the stories of these two women have finally aligned to the same location, yet neither is aware of who the other truly is.

The Words of Kings and Prophets is not a typical swords and sorcery fantasy novel, though, due to its predominantly female perspective. Neither Fódla nor Gormflaith take part in big battles or legendary leaders – they are in the background of these things. Even though Gormflaith, in particular, is probably the most intelligent and ruthless character in the entire novel, she is shackled by her sex and the society of the time. It is impossible not to be sympathetic to her, even if she is not particularly likeable. Fódla, on the other hand, is impossible not to like. She is enduringly kind and good, attempting to see the best in people even when they do not deserve it. I personally really enjoyed this lesser-seen historical perspective. Lawless is highly knowledgeable about Irish history, and this historical accuracy makes the magical elements seem all the more real. However, reading from the point of view of the hidden healer watching a battle from afar or the wife left at home waiting for news are ones we do not often get to read. I also enjoyed the two very different ways that Lawless presents the motherhood of these two characters. Both are driven by love for the children they must protect, but their attitudes and actions are very different.

The world-building and slightly slower pace of The Children of Gods and Fighting Men paid off to set up The Words of Kings and Prophets. This second novel moved quickly, and already knowing who the key characters were meant that I progressed through The Words of Kings and Prophets much more rapidly. It also helps that this novel only spans the events of a single year, whereas its predecessor had to cover almost two decades. Lawless’ writing remains captivating, and she has ended The Words of Kings and Prophets in a way that sets us up for a fantastic third novel.

You will not regret picking up The Words of Kings and Prophets, and I would like to say a huge thank you to Shauna Lawless and the team at Ad Astra for sending me a copy for me to be able to provide this review.

5/5

Read The Words of Kings and Prophets by Shauna Lawless.

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REVIEW: Dungeons and Daddies Podcast

Tabletop roleplaying is enjoying quite the resurgence of popularity in recent years. Shows such as Stranger Things and Community probably contributed, as did the pandemic in bringing about a recognition that online gaming can never fully replace genuine human interaction. Dungeons and Dragons in particular benefited from the fertile variety of third-party content independently developed, including shows like the web series Critical Role, which followed a group of voice actors role-playing a D&D campaign. In a similar vein to Critical Role, Dungeons and Daddies is a real-play podcast of an original campaign using the Dungeons and Dragons ruleset.

Dungeons and Daddies won the 2019 Audioverse Awards for “New Improvised Production” and that takes as its heroes those 30 or 40-something-year-old dads who would have been the roleplaying trailblazers of my childhood era. Essentially, it is a podcast of a game of D&D, but slickly edited and produced – think no boring bits and occasional sound effects and mood music. Zero knowledge of D&D mechanics is required. Even my dad (the dad of dads) would be able to pick up the gist pretty quickly.

Dungeons and Daddies is the story of four dads from our world, transported to the Forgotten Realms and embarking on a quest to rescue their lost sons. The dads are Glenn Close, cover-rock band member dad and bard, Daryl Wilson, stay at home sports dad and barbarian, Henry Oak, granola- munching dad and druid, and lastly Ron Stampler, emotionally restrained stepdad and rogue.

The plot is a meandering, crazy portal fantasy, where the dads take a wrong turn on the road, lose their kids, and end up trapped in a bizarre fantasy realm. To rescue their kids, they have to prevail over increasingly weird perils and pitfalls, including an orgy pit, vengeful librarians and child-sized invisible dragons. Escapades include Henry Oak using a box of prophylactics to solve the issue of his
fingers jettisoning streams of poison, the character’s own dad jokes causing psychic damage to each other, and the trials of incanting spells in Japanese to refill their Toyota mini-van’s gas tank.

A large part of the fun comes from the ineptness and emotional foibles of the dads and how they interact with each other. Ron Stampler’s bumbling need for approval and recognition is particularly hilarious. Beth May does his character superbly, she really pulls out all the stops.

The production is so slick and choreographed that one suspects it is scripted to a degree, with some room for improv, but that doesn’t at all detract from the enjoyment. All the boring bits are edited out, there are no protracted and lengthy descriptions by the DM of exotic locales. No inane or mundane conversation or pointless waffle. And it is hilarious. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it is the one of the
funniest podcasts I’ve ever listened to.

While the once-fringe pastime of rolling dice and embarking on a shared fantastical story hasn’t achieved mainstream respectability just yet, at least the pursuit is no longer regarded wholly with disdain, as the popularity of podcasts such as Dungeons and Daddies demonstrates. Certainly, this is a far cry from my childhood era, where for the most part D&D was either ridiculed or maligned, roughly in equal measure. (I recall a kid’s dad once tore up the player manual my friend had lent him under the auspices of protecting his child from the devil’s machinations.)

The podcast indeed brought back memories. I played myself in high school, albeit badly and with little regard for the actual rules or the goals of any campaign. Squabbles between party members quickly became fatal. Real world slights fast became gruesomely manifest in the world of back stabs and dice-roll combat. Games involving my merry brotherhood of adventurers had a nasty tendency to descend into fratricidal massacres, with only one player left standing at the end. The task of DM was unenviable.

For our part, we managed to recruit a DM/Mentor from the ranks of the school’s higher grades, an unthinkable breach of that enshrined, hierarchal segregation between the lower and upper years. I recall this elder sage wore a largely bemused expression as guided us stumbling neophyte initiates through the most basic of saving throws.

There’s a pleasant nostalgia to be had in listening to this podcast, at least for those of us creaking forty-something-year-old dads from that era. Listening to this podcast provides a similar comfort to what you’d get from tuning in to a familiar sitcom like Friends, where in jokes and long-running gags abound – only with dragons and…ahem…orgy pits. The chaotic good humour and random faux pas lend the show a realism that really makes you feel like you’re sitting around the table with a bunch of old mates. It’s just damn good fun, plain and simple. Thoroughly recommended, and not just for D&D buffs.

LISTEN TO Dungeons and Daddies Podcast

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Read an exclusive excerpt of Thiago Abdalla’s A Twist of Faith

Thiago Abdalla returns with A Twist of Faith, the third volume of his Ashes of Avarin epic dark fantasy series. We are delighted to provide an excerpt from Abdalla’s latest novel below.

In his debut novel, A Touch of Light, Abdalla introduced us to Lynn, a Sentinel warrior from the Domain, the northern kingdom whose people are blessed with unnaturally long lives from their god, the Seraph. Lynn is fighting against the resurgence of a plague known as the Madness, which threatens to disrupt the peace and longevity of the Domain.

Sentinels such as Lynn can enhance their physical powers by making emotion-based bonds with partner griffins. Lynn’s bond with her griffin, Vedyr, is formed through their shared anger. By combining her own anger with Vedyr’s power, Lynn can gain superhuman strength and swiftness. However, Sentinels risk losing their minds if their powers are overused.

Thiago Abadalla’s second book of the series, A Shade of Madness, ends on a cliffhanger threatening the life of Lynn’s friend, Ferrin. This excerpt from the third volume, A Twist of Faith, starts immediately after the end of A Shade of Madness. As such, the excerpt below comes with a massive spoiler alert. We are very excited by this passage and look forward to reading A Twist of Faith soon in its entirety.

Exclusive excerpt of A Twist of Faith

“Hold on, Ferrin!” Lynn said it without looking down. Vedyr had brought them to the door of the temple where the wounded were treated, but too many blocked their path.

“Move!” she yelled, but it seemed the threat of violence wasn’t as great as the violence already suffered by the soldiers crowding the entrance. She shouldered her way to the front where a line of guards kept the injured back, and glimpsed the space within.

All around, priests tended to wounds. Most of them holding ruin-stone, trying to heal what they could, muttering prayers to the Seraph under their breath. They were answered by the wails of the ailing soldiers and the stink of the dying. The floor was taken by victims of the battle. Too many without a healer beside them. More guards within tried to keep the space ordered, wary of the unattended injured.

The press moved forward, some soldiers breaking through and hobbling toward what healer they could find. They were ignored or pushed back by the guards within.

“Move!” she yelled again—at the guard in her way this time. She let the Bond fill her with energy and her eyes burned. If the guard hadn’t recognized her as a Legion general, the silver irises of a Sentinel did the trick.

As Lynn pushed through, an agonized cry turned into a growl, and calls for aid. Priests of the Blood backed away from a weakened soldier who couldn’t move a moment ago, but was now strengthened by the Madness taking over. The guards were ready. A dagger found its way into the transforming man’s skull and he went limp.

That gave some of the injured at the door pause, but most of the others seemed to fear the same fate and pushed harder against the line trying to hold them back. Any other day Lynn would have helped at the door, tried to find more priests, but Ferrin had no time.

“I’m not losing you too,” she said in a quiet voice.

I told you! Alren said. I told you you’d kill him!

Roki only laughed, a desperate, broken laugh between mockery and helplessness. Maybe it was her own voice laughing in her mind, Lynn couldn’t tell.

She rounded on the priest who’d backed away from the turning madman. “Help him,” Lynn said. “Now.” Her eyes still burned, and she felt a flare with every word, almost as if her own taint, the Madness High Bishop Reznik had infected her with, was taking its toll—speeding up the drain of her Bond with Vedyr and threatening to hollow her out.

Priests of the Blood were used to dealing with Sentinels, but the situation had this one shaken. “I-I. . .”

“In the cleansing room!” The voice came from behind them, but Lynn didn’t need to see Rel to recognize him. “Go!”

The priest reacted and Lynn rushed Ferrin into the room and closed the door. They laid him on the stone slab in the center, and Rel immediately went to work, pointing along the open wound on Ferrin’s side where madman’s claws had dug into his skin. Ferrin coughed, but Lynn was too numb to move. She stood back, looking as if from far beyond while Rel and the priest tried to save what was left of Ferrin. What was left of her hope and the belief that she could fight the Madness, fight death.

It’s the same as always, Cara said. He’ll turn, and you’ll kill him.

Just like Lynn had killed his brother—her brothers—Alren, Roki, Cara, Dentos. She could almost hear Ferrin’s voice in her mind, blaming her beside Alren for not saving his sister. For killing his brother and now leading him to his death. All of them taken by the Madness.

The burning in Lynn’s eyes was joined by hot streaks of tears rolling down her face. Her body moved without conscious thought, and through the haze of her motions, Lynn found herself standing over Ferrin, hand on the ruin-stone shard she’d dug into his heart.

“I am the Sentinel who keeps Her faith,” she whispered. “I am the blade that cleanses the land. I am the gaze that burns the night away.”

A gentle hand fell onto hers and Lynn’s tear-blurred vision took a moment to make out Rel. “We’ll do all we can,” he said softly. “Look.” He pointed at the shard. Only a half-finger’s length stuck out of Ferrin’s chest. It pulsed erratically and a lot slower than it should. “It’s found his heart. He’s fighting. You need to give him some space. Go rest.”

Lynn looked at Rel for a long while. Too numb to react.

She turned away, unable to muster a resistance, and walked out of the temple.

A Sentinel’s training took years, but it wasn’t to build up strength to resist the shard of ruin-stone stabbed into your heart. It was to build up faith, to be sure you were ready for the battle to come. To be sure your mind would survive the touch of the Bond, the connection to the griffin’s well of power, one far greater than any normal person could imagine.

The shard had been Nerida’s, the griffin that had belonged to Deria. Deria had been killed at the Skygate, but the Pontiff had somehow trapped the power of Nerida’s ruin-stone heart in a new shard, ready to induct a new member into the Sentinel order. Lynn didn’t know if Ferrin had the strength—if Nerida had the will for another connection. All she had was faith in the Seraph, faith that death would not win the day.

This can’t happen again. This won’t happen again. She looked up at the Seraph’s mark. Please.

A shriek answered from above. Vedyr was with her, giving her strength even if their Bond would soon take it away twice over. She let go of it for now, mind working. If Ferrin was fighting, she would help him. The power of a Bond might be able to hold the Madness at bay, but if she could find a cure, he would be fighting one less enemy. There had to be prisoners in the dungeons by now. Lynn would take a cure, save Ferrin. She adjusted her path, aiming toward the Othonean palace.

Read A Twist of Faith by Thiago Abdalla

While the pre-orders aren’t up just yet, you can make sure you know when the book drops by signing up to the author’s email list.

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EXCLUSIVE: Cover art reveal for Grimdark Magazine Issue #36

We are mere days away from the release of Grimdark Magazine Issue #36 and I’ve decided I cannot sit on this magnificent piece of artwork by Carlos Diaz for a single moment more. The artwork for Grimdark Magazine Issue #36 is based on T.R. Napper’s brilliant and brutal dark fantasy novella A Marked Man, where a tattooed swordsman meets with variety of assassins.  You’ll also know Napper from his cyberpunk romp 36 Streets and his short story collection Neon Leviathan and if you’ve read his stuff, I’m sure you’ll be chomping at the bit to get your hands on this story.

The issue is also going to feature two Michael R. Fletcher short stories (he’s releasing two amazing novels this year—A War to End All and Sin and Sorrow–so why not?), We also have a variety of interviews including Thaigo Abdalla, Stephen Graham Jones and much, much more. And while I’m sure you’re excited for that, let’s not dally any further–to the art!

Cover art by Carlos Ortiz for Grimdark Magazine Issue #36

When I approached Carlos about this story, I had a very clear image in my mind of the style I wanted that would best help the story pop on the cover. A Marked Man has very strong Japanese samurai and western themes with a magic system based around tattoos, because tattoos play a large part in the magic system as well as the overall aesthetic of the story, I wanted to incorporate a tattoo style into the cover that both encapsulated the feel of the story as well as being highly illustrative and immediately I knew that the Trash Polka style would suit it to a tee.

You can pop in Trash Polka style into Google and I can all but guarantee you’ll immediately know the kind of art I’m talking about. You’ve seen it on your friends and family, that random person across the street, and perhaps also on your own body.

And so, without any further ado, I give you Carlos Diaz’s A Marked Man for Grimdark Magazine #36.

This also isn’t the first time Carlos has interpreted one of Napper’s brilliant works onto a Grimdark Magazine cover, check out his cover of the cyberpunk The Shapes of our Fever in Grimdark Magazine Issue #29 here.

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